TK helmets from the Galactic Empire (photos)

Road Trip

ORLANDO, Fla.--If there's one thing that just about everyone can agree on, it's that the "Star Wars" universe is one of the best collections of stories, characters, costumes, movies, books, comics, and cartoons of all time. And that's why thousands of people have flocked here for Celebration V, the fifth U.S.-based major "Star Wars" fan convention.

After six weeks traveling around the U.S. Northeast and a very brief return to California, CNET reporter Daniel Terdiman has hit Orlando for the last leg of Road Trip 2010--he was here at the very beginning of Road Trip 2008--to check in on Celebration V and see what the latest and greatest is in the "Star Wars" milieu. And without a doubt, one thing that everyone here seems excited about is the exhibit of custom-painted TK helmets that's on display.

A follow-up to the hugely successful Darth Vader collection shown at Celebration V in 2007, the TK helmets--so-called because of the stormtrooper TK 421 from "Star Wars"--are based on a series of helmets belonging to different characters from the Galactic Empire and were painted by a series of celebrities, "Star Wars" artists, and others.

Each of the helmets is being auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the Make a Wish Foundation.

And in keeping with the Road Trip theme, it made sense to start this photo gallery with this image, of "Fanboys," by Kyle Newman and Jaime King.

Taken by Chewbacca

Note the large claw marks on the front of this stormtrooper helmet. This is "Taken by Chewbacca" by Peter Mayhew and family. Mayhew, of course, is the actor who played the Wookie Chewbacca in the "Star Wars" movies.